Chinese tourists to be given landing visas in Penghu

Chinese tourists visiting the Penghu islands on chartered flights between now and October will be granted landing visas, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday.

Starting on Sept. 30 last year, the government has issued landing visas to Chinese tourists visiting Kinmen and Matsu who do not hold positions in the People’s Liberation Army, the Chinese Communist Party or the Chinese government.

MAC Deputy Minister Liu Te-shun (劉德勳) yesterday said the measure was initiated on a trial basis and that the visitors could not travel to Taiwan proper.

Liu said the trial was proposed by the Penghu government, which expected to see a large number of Chinese tourists during the four-month period.

Liu said the government was also considering allowing Chinese visitors to travel without a tour group in Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on a trial basis. Chinese tourists are currently required travel in a group of at least five.

Meanwhile, Chinese nationals will be granted work rights immediately upon marriage to Taiwanese, while the NT$2 million (US$60,000) cap on any inheritance they receive from their Taiwanese spouses will be abolished in the middle of next month.